FISH AND WILDLIFE BRANCH 



THE prosperity of our province, and its growth in population and productivity, 

 have not brought in their wake any real reduction in the supply of game and 

 fish. Moose are abundant. We are using only a third of the allowable annual 

 harvest, and are more than a little worried over reports of heavy tick infestation. 

 Deer are recovering from a series of bad winters. Ruffed grouse are on the 

 upswing of their famous cycle. The waters of the north have continued to produce 

 fish to delight the tourist. 



In the densely settled areas, likewise, there is no depletion of game. There 

 is, however, a rapidly spreading restriction of access to private lands, as farmers 

 grow restive at the numbers who wish to use their lands. The fact that there is 

 no shortage of rabbits or groundhogs does not alter the case. Available access 

 to waters is also crowded to the limit. This is true for all recreational water-use, 

 but is felt by anglers, and especially by the would-be, rather than experienced, 

 angler. 



In other areas which have passed through the same pattern of experience it 

 has been found that, without in any way diminishing the im|X)rtance of private 

 lands in providing hunting, or of private access to waters, the pressure can be 

 taken off by setting up public hunting and fishing areas. 



Previous reports have described how public hunting has been provided in 

 provincial parks, and two small areas had already been obtained. During the 

 year an important area in eastern Ontario, the Winchester Swamp, was obtained 

 from the Department of National Defence. We also established our first Public 

 Fishing Area, in the former Mount Pleasant Hatchery, near Brantford. 



These activities have the virtue merely of pilot projects in the light of the 

 recreational land acquisitional program announced in the Speech from the Throne, 

 which will really provide a safety-valve for the build-up of public pressure. They 

 are, however, an assurance of the reception that the new areas are bound to receive. 



The response to the Mount Pleasant Public Fishing Area was particularly 

 encouraging. This hatchery, with an uncertain water supply, had reached the 

 point where it could be used only seasonally for trout, and at some risk, and 

 artificially-reared warm water fish are not required in the area. As an operational 

 liability, with deteriorating facilities, it could have been closed, but, instead, its 

 ponds were simply filled with pan fish and thrown open for angling. The response 

 was strong and immediate. Two things, the fact that many young anglers were 

 obviously catching their first fish, and the use of pan fish, were both encouraging. 

 In regard to the pan fish, many of our finest southern Ontario fishing grounds are 

 so "civilized" now that they are being heavily fertilized. Nets show that game fish 

 are there but they are often hard to catch. Pan fish are universally available, for 

 unlimited use, whether to be caught locally, or netted to supply suburban fish 

 ponds, such as Mount Pleasant. 



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